What does one do when they graduate college? Celebrate of course – more specifically in my case, eat, eat, and then eat some more. When I graduated, I was not just having to say bye to all my dear friends, or the notion of going to school, but I was also saying goodbye to the surrounding city, Syracuse, NY. Now Syracuse is not what I would call a “destination city” – don’t get me wrong, I learned how to love that city for all it had to offer, but I don’t see myself going back anytime soon. So when my parents came to attend my graduation and help move me out of Syracuse, there were some last destinations I had to hit up.
The first night of celebration we went out in style. My roommate of 3 years, Aly and her family, and my parents and I rented a stretch limousine for the evening to take us to “The Krebs”, a restaurant located in Skaneateles, NY – a half hour drive from Syracuse, hence getting a car service *no drinking and driving.
A drink in the limo, music and chatting and we were there. The place was pretty and packed. Half of us, myself included, opted for the tasting menu. Aly’s brother and I started with a proper mint julep –a drink I will never be able to perfect – the rest began the steady stream red wine that would last us throughout the night. As the food came out, course after course, it was not so much the food I was concentrating on but rather the people I was surrounded by. My parents, the ones who supported me in every which way to get me to this point in life. Aly, a randomly selected roommate that eventually turned into a good friend, to a best friend, and now my soul sista. Her family, who I have come to love and adore from spending time with over the previous years. We were having a blast, and without a doubt being the loudest people in the restaurant – as I said before it was the last time we’d be in these neck of the woods so who cares if we were “those people.”
Anyways the food was good. Not as good as it should have been, but on this particular night I did not mind. I was so happy and lucky to 1. Be surrounded by these people 2. I was pretty buzzed 3. I knew there would be many more delicious meals to come.
The next day was the first graduation ceremony which was based people’s home school, mine being the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The ceremony was very nice, and it felt weird to be graduating, but I also felt like it was time. This was the ceremony that was kind of the “bigger deal” since they actually call out your name. After the ceremony, hungover from the previous night – once getting home from dinner I went to the classic SU senior bar “Chucks” – there was one last food destination that I still had yet to check off my list before leaving Syracuse forever.
The place is called “Heid’s of Liverpool,” an old school hot dog joint located in Liverpool, NY – about a 15 minute drive from Syracuse. To me, food doesn’t also need to be super elegant in order to celebrate, a damn good hot dog makes me a happy camper. This I also inherited from old pops.
As my parents and I rolled up to Heid’s, all dressed up from graduation, my mom snagged us a table while my dad and I waited in line to order food. Once going through the process and we sat down with our food, officially a graduate, I felt like a kid again eating the perfect celebratory meal.
The first night of celebration we went out in style. My roommate of 3 years, Aly and her family, and my parents and I rented a stretch limousine for the evening to take us to “The Krebs”, a restaurant located in Skaneateles, NY – a half hour drive from Syracuse, hence getting a car service *no drinking and driving.
A drink in the limo, music and chatting and we were there. The place was pretty and packed. Half of us, myself included, opted for the tasting menu. Aly’s brother and I started with a proper mint julep –a drink I will never be able to perfect – the rest began the steady stream red wine that would last us throughout the night. As the food came out, course after course, it was not so much the food I was concentrating on but rather the people I was surrounded by. My parents, the ones who supported me in every which way to get me to this point in life. Aly, a randomly selected roommate that eventually turned into a good friend, to a best friend, and now my soul sista. Her family, who I have come to love and adore from spending time with over the previous years. We were having a blast, and without a doubt being the loudest people in the restaurant – as I said before it was the last time we’d be in these neck of the woods so who cares if we were “those people.”
Anyways the food was good. Not as good as it should have been, but on this particular night I did not mind. I was so happy and lucky to 1. Be surrounded by these people 2. I was pretty buzzed 3. I knew there would be many more delicious meals to come.
The next day was the first graduation ceremony which was based people’s home school, mine being the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The ceremony was very nice, and it felt weird to be graduating, but I also felt like it was time. This was the ceremony that was kind of the “bigger deal” since they actually call out your name. After the ceremony, hungover from the previous night – once getting home from dinner I went to the classic SU senior bar “Chucks” – there was one last food destination that I still had yet to check off my list before leaving Syracuse forever.
The place is called “Heid’s of Liverpool,” an old school hot dog joint located in Liverpool, NY – about a 15 minute drive from Syracuse. To me, food doesn’t also need to be super elegant in order to celebrate, a damn good hot dog makes me a happy camper. This I also inherited from old pops.
As my parents and I rolled up to Heid’s, all dressed up from graduation, my mom snagged us a table while my dad and I waited in line to order food. Once going through the process and we sat down with our food, officially a graduate, I felt like a kid again eating the perfect celebratory meal.